Why pirate flags are taking over Indonesia as country celebrates 80 years of independence

A graffiti of the pirate flag from Japanese anime 'One Piece', adopted by some Indonesians as a symbol of frustration with their government, is seen on a street in Sukoharjo, Central Java, on 6 August 2025, ahead of the country's 80th Independence Day - (AFP via Getty Images)

On 17 August, Indonesia will celebrate 80 years of independence – a moment that its leader Prabowo Subianto has said should be marked by citizens proudly displaying the country’s red and white national flag.

Yet it’s a very different kind of flag that has been flying off shelves ahead of Independence Day: one with a classic pirates’ skull and crossbones wearing a distinctive yellow straw hat.